Govt wants solution to Rohingya crisis keeping ties unharmed: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday said the government wants to solve the Rohingya crisis keeping the 'good relations' with neighbouring Myanmar unharmed.

"We want to resolve the crisis keeping the good relations with the neighbour," she said.

Hasina also mentioned that unequivocal support of the international community for Bangladesh on the issue was an unprecedented success of the country's diplomatic history. "I think Bangladesh never ever earned such huge diplomatic success."

The Prime Minister was speaking at the inaugural session of the three-day Envoys' Conference with the participation of all Bangladesh envoys currently posted in 58 countries around the world titled ‘Diplomacy for Peace and People’ at a city hotel.

This conference, hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has been arranged for the first time since Bangladesh’s independence.

Hasina urged Bangladeshi diplomats to enhance the country’s position, image and dignity among the world community through their merits, talents and hard works.

She suggested the diplomats to hold frequent meetings and views-exchange programmes with local people, businessmen, intellectuals, journalists at their posting places to properly portrait the country.

The PM also advised the diplomats to extend all-out cooperation to the expatriate Bangladeshis, work for their welfare, and hold meetings with them so that they are not harassed.

Hasina said special emphasis should be given on sub-regional cooperation and connectivity alongside maintaining cooperative and harmonious relations with neighbouring countries.

Beside, they should work to explore new markets for Bangladeshi products and manpower, extend services to the expatriate Bangladeshis, uphold Bangladesh’s interest on climate cage issue, achieve sustainable development goals, and contain terrorism and religious extremism.

Hasina also urged the envoys to take measures against anti-government campaign of the killers of Bangabandhu, war criminals and vested groups abroad.

She said it was very unfortunate that the killers of Bangabandhu were awarded diplomatic jobs in different foreign missions. The government has tried the killers, but some absconding killers are still hatching conspiracies abroad along with the war criminals of 1971. "You’ve to remain careful against their orchestrated propaganda," she said.

High commissioners, ambassadors and Permanent Representatives of Bangladesh attended the meeting.

The conference will have exclusive sessions on foreign policy issues in the changing global context.UNB.

It will also have panel discussions on different contemporary national and international issues.

Ministers, advisers, members of parliament and senior officials will address these sessions, and are expected to provide guidance in securing national interest.

The conference aims to discuss issues ranging from foreign policy challenges to implementation of development goals, expansion of trade, welfare of expatriate Bangladeshis and projection of Bangladesh as a responsible and peace loving state in the world.

In the sessions it is expected that the envoys will also share their experiences and discuss the challenges in promoting the country’s interests.